Better Off Alone
by Adhara Black
Summary: Songfic: To Better Off Alone, By Aussie Rockers Grinspoon. Guaranteed to make you cry, its a very sad story about Remus and Isabelle, and- well, read it! Its not for anything, I just wrote this, waiting for the plot bunny to come back from holiday...


_I never gave a reason, why I didn't call  
Now I've grown so tired, of lying to myself_

Isabelle Smith swallowed hard, as she made her way, down the dark corridor, to the door, at the end. _Okay,_ she told herself_. You can do this. Just… don't think about whats going to happen_

When she reached the end, she saw the tall guard at the door. "I-I want to see R-Remus Lupin," she said softly, struggling to keep her voice even. "Please." She added, remembering her manners. The guard sneered at her. "What do ya want to see that half-breed for, hes not going to be around long."

Isabelled clenched her fists, and struggled to refrain herself from ppunching the mans smug face in. 'I-I Just want to talk to him," she said, her voice shaking with fear, and rage. The tall, burly man shrugged, and opened the door. Isabelle swallowed, every inch of her body trembling, the fifteen-year-old walked in.

_I cannot go unsaid, I regret what they know  
Don't think it's all been a waste of time_

Remus's head snapped up. He knew that _usually_ strong, cheerful voice, and he could smell her strawberry-scented shampoo from the other side of the heavy iron doors.

"Isabelle…" He whispered. The doors slowly swung open, and sure enough, a frigntened, and trembling Isabelle walked in. She took one look at the boy sitting on the hard wooden bench, hands and feet bound by manacles, and burst into tears.

Remus sighed, and walked over to her, lifting his arms, so Isabelle could slip inside his chains.

"Isabelle, you shouldn't be here," He said softly, to the sobbing girl clutching his chest. "Even Sirius and James werent allowed to come."

"I-I know." She said, lifting her head, to gaze into his tired, amber eyes. "B-But I had to, I have to tell you something."

She swallowed hard. "R-Remus, I-"

Remus silenced her, like he had done so many times before, with a hand on her lips. "Don't say, it." He whispered. "It will just hurt more."

Isabelle nodded, her chin trembling. "I-Its not fair," she whispered. 'You didn't hurt snape. Why are they doing this if you didn't do anything."

"Because hes such an 'affluent member of society.'" He said sadly.

"Because hes a slimy slytherin jerk." She said feircley.

_Those we admired  
They stood their ground and cried_  


Remus gave a small suggestion of a smile. "yeah, maybe." He said. "But, this way, Im slightly relieved, a bit. I mean, I wont have to worry about if I'm going to hurt anyone anymore."

"don't say that!" Isabelle said. "Don't ever say that!! You didn't even hurt him, and now-now-" she broke off into fresh sobs. Remus could only bend hid head over hers, and gently stroke her back.

"Please, Izzy." He said softly. "don't cry, Its only going to make it hurt more."

Isabelle shook her head. "Nothing will ever hurt more then this." She said tearfully. "I mean, I havent stopped hurting since They took you away, and I never will. Because, I-"

Remus placed a finger over her lips again, shaking his head. "don't say it, don't even think about it!" he said feircley. "Don't!"

Izzys eyes widened, and she nodded, swalloing hard. "Y-You know, I actually caught Sirius crying, yesterday. He was in a girls bathroom."

Remus bithis lip, trying not smile at the thought of Sirius bawlin ghis eyes out. "What did he say?" he asked, keeping his eyes downcast.

"N-nothing." She replied. "He only said hed kill me if I told anyone." She choked back a sob, trying to force its way out of her throught. "I-I always thought Sirius was so string, and-and" she was at a loss for words, but Remus understood.

_I didn't start the fire  
I just tried to see your eyes_

"Im going to miss both of them." He said, biting his lip to keep from sobbing out loud. "I wish they were allowed to just see me, one last time. Apart from you, and them, noone else cares."

"I-I know," Isabelle siad. "Why couldn't your family just come!" She burst out. "don't they even care!?!?"

He shook his head. "This is probably killing them. Romulus left, and now-" He broke off with a long, shuddering sigh. "I-I don't know, Izzy." He said. "I-I don't think they would have the guts to come here, to put it plainly."

Isabelle frowned. "Theyre no-good-"

"-Theyre my parnts." He finished softly. 'Izzy, listen. There a letter, I wrote to them. Its in the bottom of my trunk. Can you-"

"Of course." She saud firmly. "you don't even have to ask."

Remus smiled, and tightned the firm grip he had on her firend. "I care about you Izzy," he siad softly. "I-I do. I really do. And its breaking my heart, to see you like this."

Isabelle finally let loose the sob she had been trying to choke back. "B-But you-"

"You have to promise me youll move on." He said. "That you wont let any of this ever stop you from living your life. I don't want that Izzy. I don't want to be the one who stops you from that, even when Im gone. Promise me that. Promise me youll have enough fun, and adventure for the both of us."

She looked into his honey eyes, which were slowly filling with tears, and she nodded, burying her face into his shoulder.

"I-I promise." She sobbed. "I promise Ill live for the both of us. Ill grow up, settle down, marry someone, and have lots of beautiful kids. Ill grow old. For you."

"Make sure, that when you do go, you'll be an old lady, safe, and warm, in your bed. Not like me, not like this. You promise?" he said fiercely.

Isabelle lifted her head, and nodded. "Yes!" she said tearfully. "I will, I swear."

_It cannot go unsaid I only wanted  
To know, I think it's all going to work out fine_

"Its going to be okay," he murmered to her. "everything will be okay."

She shook her head. "Its not, you shouldn't even be here, you're innocent!!" She said, all in one breath. "They cant do this, its murder, Its-"

"It's the law," he said, his voice trembling. "I-I broke the law, Izzy. I was a dnager to someone, and I have to carry out the sentence."

"But-"

"No buts. I hate the system, and I kkow it stinks. That law needs to be changed, but its too late for all of that. I could have killed Snape, or even worse, cursed him. I don't think I could ever live with that." He said sotfly. "I-I'm sorry, Isabelle."

"What are you sorry for?" she said, yet more tears trickling down her pale, fearful face. "don't be sorry, you had no way to control it."

"I-I know, Remus said. "But If I ever Imagined a way to go…" He bent his head, and Isabelle could see his shoulders shaking. She blinked back tears, and drew him, if posible, even closer to her, his head on her shoulder, while he cried.

"It wouldn't be this way, not like this." He said, after a few minutes, and lifted his head "never like this."

The guard on the outside sighed, and shuffled his feet.

_We're better off alone then lying to ourselves who cares  
What they've said who cares  
What they know we're better off alone_

"Ne neither," Isabelle said, her chin trembling. "B-but even though this is all happening, it just seems so.. surreal. Like its all a dream, and Ill wake up, and everything okay. Youre okay, and none of this has happened, but." She let out a long suddering sigh. "It is real, and I cant stop it. Goddamn it!!" She slammed a fist into the hard, stone floor. "Why are they doing this, Remus!?!?" she asked, her grey eyes shining with fresh tears. "Why are they taking you away from me??"

Remus grabbed both of her hands, and looked at her steadily. "I don't know, Izzy." He said. "What I did was wrong, even if it wasn't really me. I wish this was all a dream, too. But its not. This is real. Im so sorry that I have to leave you, and I ve done everything I can to stop it, but-" he swallowed. "its just not enough. I'm so sorry that I have to go like this."

The pair were broken out from ther talk, by the door opening, and two rough looking men entering the room. "lets go!" one said gruffly, hauling Remus to his feet. Isabelle slipped out from under his chains, and grasped his hand, which was cold, and clammy. Remus gazed at her, looking sick, and nervous, and squeezed her hand back.

_I know that my love I'll send  
Could we still be friends, but this is the end_

Remus was hauled along the dark hall, Isabelle still tightly clutching his hand. She was crying quietly, the tears trickling down her face, and Remus was deadly pale, and had a faraway look in his eyes. He felt numb.

Finally, they came to a stop, outside a hard wooden door. "Stay here," One of the guards snarled at Isabelle. She opened her mouth to protest, but Remus stopped her with a shake of his head, eyes wide, and imploring. Isabelle sighed, and shoulders slumped in defeat, let go of the young boys sweaty, trembling hands. She tried to form her mouth to say something, but she couldnt, she just couldn't.

Remus was shoved roughly into the room, the door clanging shut behind him. The chains were removed from his hands and feet, and was shived against a wall, where he saw, with a jolt, a man expertley twirling a gun, nno doubt loaded with silver bullets…

Isabelle stood, staring at the wall, where Remus, just on the other side, was going to die, alone, like some kind of animal.

_No_.

Fingers fumbling, she twisted the knob of the door, and heaved it open. Before she even knew what she was doing, she sprinted towards Remus, and trembling with fear, kissed him.

He rkiss was warm, and tender, and when they broke apart, Remus was choked with emotion. "What-" he started to sya, but Isabelle cut him off.

Remus, I love you. I love you with all of my heart. I don't care that you're a werewolf, or that you're so unlike me. I want to marry you, even if we cant have kids, and I want to grow old with you, and love you every minute of every day until I die. I want to do all those things you said, travel the world, and have lots of fun, and adventure, but I want to do all those things with you, because…. There's noone in the world Id rather be with."

"Isabelle," Remus said softly, stroking the side of her face. "I love you to. More than words can ever say, and I'd would like nothing more then to do the things you just said, but look." He gestured around the small room. "This is where it ends, Isabelle, I'm sorry." He took her pale hands gently. She felt something enter the palm of her hand. She looked at him, her eyes wide, and shining. "But-"

He kissed her quickly on the mouth. "You're holding this up, Izzy."

"But-" She felt strong hands on her shoulders. "N-No, you cant, NO!!" She screamed as she was dragged out of the way, and flung out the door. She pounded as hard as she could on the door with her fists.

"DON'T!!!" she yelled desperately. "HES INNOCENT!!! DON'T DO IT!!" She fell on her knees against the wall, shaking and sobbing. 'Don't…" she called out weakly.

Remus bowed his head, staring at the ground. Trying, unsuccessfully to blink away the tears, he heard Isabelles desperate screaming, and pounding on the door.

He tried to Imagine when they were last happy… sitting by the lake, just.. Chatting. Isabelle was feeding the squid, whom she had christened 'Frankie'. The sun was shining….

Isabelle opened her hand, and saw what Remus had slipped her. His dog tags. Name, Date of Birth, registry number, Age of bite…. She leaned against the door, picturing the last glimpse she had ever seen of her one true love. His eyes, red-rimmed, a look of… Acceptance on his face, eyes dull and saddened….

Try as she might, Isabelle could not block out the resounding _CRACK_ that filled the air….

_I think it's all going to work out fine… _

Flame me, I dont care. I know its evil....


End file.
